The Democratic Republic of Congo has finally received its first shipment of mpox vaccines, as health authorities ramp up efforts to contain an outbreak that has pushed the U.N. to declare a global public health emergency.
Congo has been at the heart of the mpox outbreak, which has spread to neighboring countries and other parts of the world. Despite vaccines being widely available in some regions, Africa has faced severe shortages, delaying the containment of the disease, which can be fatal.
A shipment of doses, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the European Union, arrived in Kinshasa on Thursday afternoon. The vaccines were flown in to bolster efforts to curb the spread of the virus, with health officials hoping they can be rapidly distributed to affected regions.
“These vaccines have already shown their effectiveness in the United States, and we will be rolling them out to adults across the country,” said Congo’s Health Minister, Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, at the airport. “We know which provinces are heavily impacted, especially Equateur and South Kivu. The goal is to stop the virus as soon as possible.”
The initial delivery includes 99,000 doses, with another batch expected by Saturday, bringing the total to 200,000 doses, according to Laurent Muschel, the head of the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). The EU plans to send a total of 566,000 doses to the region, focusing on countries with the most urgent need.
“This is a critical step in addressing the inequity that African nations have faced,” said Muschel. “While Europe and the U.S. have had access to these vaccines for some time, the situation in Africa has been dire.” He added that Burundi is likely to be the next recipient, pending approval from its health authorities.
The vaccine rollout comes at a time when Congo is grappling with high levels of mistrust toward vaccines in certain communities. To address this, officials announced that the vaccination campaign will begin on October 8, following a comprehensive public awareness initiative.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, causes flu-like symptoms and painful, pus-filled skin lesions. It can be fatal, especially in regions with limited healthcare infrastructure. According to the Congolese health ministry, there have been 19,710 suspected mpox cases reported in the country in 2024 alone, with 5,041 confirmed cases and 655 deaths.
The virus primarily spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, making rapid intervention critical to prevent further transmission. Congo’s vaccination campaign is seen as a crucial step toward curbing the outbreak and protecting its most vulnerable populations.
